Tainted Blood, Tainted Love
by PHOZ
Summary: When the offspring of past revolutionaries are exposed, no cat is safe from the call for blood, and when the ideals of those revolutionaries find a place in the present, a war will begin. A story of forbidden love and despicable betrayal. mild slash.
1. Prologue

_Author's Note: At last! The story that is the product of **Loki-BlackWolf** and **The Mystical Palm Tree** is posted! A huge thanks goes out to all those who've helped, and in advance to anyone kind enough to leave a review! _

_Notice: Allegiances are posted separately under the title "TBTL: Character Pages"_

_one and only disclaimer: PHOZ DOES NOT CLAIM TO OWN IN ANY WAY THE WARRIORS SERIES WHICH IS COPYRIGHT TO ERIN HUNTER. CHARACTERS BELONG TO THEIR RESPECTIVE CREATORS. PHOZ DOES, HOWEVER, CLAIM ALL RIGHTS TO PHOZ'S CHARACTERS AND THEIR STORY.  
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**Prologue**

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_Despite the hour, a silver light_ flooded the island. It was strong and steady, yet Hawkfeather noticed that the clouds still hung dangerously close to the moon's glowing edges. Did that mean StarClan was going to be angry? But of course they were! The moon, round as it was, wasn't yet full and it didn't signify a gathering. Despite that, he was standing on the island and waiting to meet a cat from another Clan. It was wrong, so terribly wrong, and that's why the young ShadowClan warrior knew this meeting had to be the last.

Bracken rustled, and Hawkfeather's dark tabby fur bristled as a black and white form slipped into the clearing. It moved easily and with a certain grace one could only find in a cat from WindClan.

"Hawkfeather!" A bobtailed apprentice pranced toward him, his bright blue eyes filled with excitement.

Such giddiness was unlike Ospreypaw, and Hawkfeather figured the other tom had news. For one happy heartbeat, he wanted to ask if he'd received his warrior name, but he stopped himself. He had his own mission, and his stiff stance gave it away.

"Hawkfeather?" Ospreypaw stopped short of touching noses in their usual greeting, and his thrill seemed to fade. "Is something wrong?"

Hawkfeather's dark lips curled miserably as the words prompted recent and evil memories. Was something wrong? The ShadowClan tom flashed glinting white fangs. No. Everything was wrong.

Hawkfeather's tufted ears fell back and the words tumbled out numbly, "We're done, Ospreypaw. Go home."

"What?" The smaller tom's soft voice was full of incredulity.

After everything they'd been through together, there was no way Ospreypaw would believe him, and there was a certain shame in having said it. Pity that there was an even greater shame in not meaning it.

"You heard me," Hawkfeather lashed his long tail, and feeling the dissatisfied eyes of a hidden supervisor, he forced himself to meet Ospreypaw's stare. He reiterated with more force, "Go home!"

The foreign cat watched him, fur fluffed in frustration. Surely, Ospreypaw understood that he spoke halfheartedly, and Hawkfeather knew Ospreypaw would exploit the half full of his doubts. Even if he had good intentions, he couldn't be given the chance.

Before the white and black tom could speak, Hawkfeather unsheathed his claws and narrowed his amber eyes. "I'm not playing games with you, Ospreypaw." He paused, and then hoping that his hesitation went unnoticed, hissed, "Unlike you, I'm going to be the best warrior my Clan's ever seen and no stupid little half-Clan cat is going to change that." He spat, "I'm done with you."

Emotion seemed to drain from Ospreypaw as he responded, "Hawkfeather… why are you saying this?" To Hawkfeather's irritation, he asked, "What happened?"

The weight of the question's answer ripped at the ShadowClan warrior from inside and exploded from him in a deep growl. Shocked, Ospreypaw's ears sagged, and he took a small step back. However, he misjudged the danger as Hawkfeather bunched up his powerful muscles and leapt forward.

The large ShadowClan cat's patience had quickly run thin, and he raked his black claws through the other tom's pelt. Two yowls rang out, one low with hostility, the other high with protest as Ospreypaw tried to slip away, but Hawkfeather blocked his path. For a few frightening moments, he refused to let the other escape, and in that panic, Hawkfeather felt claws nick his ear. He landed a crushing bite onto the white fur of Ospreypaw's shoulder. After that, it wasn't long before Hawkfeather's sheer size came to play and he subdued the young WindClan cat.

Although by then, the fear scent was almost overbearing, and he hoped he'd done enough to drive the other away once and for all.

"Run home!" With the words, Hawkfeather parted his jaws, and as Ospreypaw fled, he made sure to lash out once more with his claws, catching the other's rump. However, Ospreypaw was fast and had gone in the same instant, clearly not caring that the claws ripped through flesh.

Good riddance.

Hawkfeather stood alone and panting by himself. He swallowed, and perking up his large ears, he realized that for some inexplicable reason he was actually waiting for Ospreypaw to poke his head back out of the brambles.

Good riddance?

"He's not coming back," a gentle voice called from behind.

A chill ran up Hawkfeather's spine as his bloody claws dug into the grass. He'd succeeded, then. But it was so odd to feel pain and accomplishment at the same time.

"You don't look happy." A gray furred tom, another ShadowClan warrior, had emerged from his hiding place and pressed against Hawkfeather's side. "You should be."

Hawkfeather cast a fleeting glance at his brother and lied hoping he would himself believe it, "I am."

"You're going to be the greatest warrior ShadowClan has ever seen, much greater than Pineshadow," Owlfur told him simply. "Like I said before, that dirty half-Clan cat would only get in the way. You did the right thing."

"I hope so." Hawkfeather lifted his attention to the starry sky and, rather than catching the calculating glint in Owlfur's dark gold eyes, he saw that the clouds had seeped over the moon…


	2. Chapter 1

_Author's Note: Finally the first chapter of Tainted Blood, Tainted Love!_

_**Disclaimer: **__**PHOZ DOES NOT CLAIM TO OWN IN ANY WAY THE WARRIORS SERIES WHICH IS COPYRIGHT TO ERIN HUNTER. CHARACTERS BELONG TO THEIR RESPECTIVE CREATORS. PHOZ DOES, HOWEVER, CLAIM ALL RIGHTS TO PHOZ'S CHARACTERS AND THEIR STORY.**_

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Chapter One

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Blue eyes flew opened as a black and white bobtailed warrior found himself suddenly awake in the warriors' den. Fear almost chocked the tom as he glanced back and forth to see if an enemy would come flying at him, but he only saw his denmates peacefully sleeping around him. The fear did not completely leave the tom until he turned his head around to look at his shoulder, only to find a small scar there instead of the gaping wound from his dreams.

"It was only a dream," the bobtailed tom murmured to himself. Even awake the memories that had created the dream came to him as if it had happen mere moments ago instead of seasons.

That night the WindClan warrior had gone to meet Hawkfeather, the ShadowClan warrior, at the island as they normally did. This time was special, he was going to inform the other tom that he had just received his warrior name, Ospreytail. Instead of the joyous and kind friend waiting him like usual, he found a stranger within his friend; he had thought the tom would be congratulating him that night only to have the tabby speak of ending what they had and in the end the ShadowClan warrior attacked Ospreytail.

The wounds have healed since then, yet his heart still aches for friendship he once had with Hawkfeather.

The bobtailed tom moved to stand up, but found himself being watched by fellow warrior Swiftwing. "Had a bad dream, Ospreytail?" the black she-cat asked in a low voice as to not to wake the other warriors who were still sleeping.

Ospreytail nodded his head, but did not share what his dream was about to her. "It is nearly dawn, you should prepare for that patrol of yours," he informed her, changing the subject before she tried to ask about his dream.

The she-cat's dark green eyes narrowed, but nodded as to give acknowledgment to his suggestion. The two cats rose to their paws and as Ospreytail padded out of the warriors den, he saw Swiftwing nudging awake Bluestorm, Harewhisker, and Featherbreeze, the other members of the patrol.

The ground was soft under the black and white tom's paws from the rain the night before and the camp was empty for every WindClan cat went to sleep in the dens for last night. Picking up a rain soaked sparrow from the fresh-kill, the tom settled down to eat. Out of the corner of his blue eyes, he saw an elder padding out of the dens and towards him.

Raising his head, Ospreytail nodded his head in respect to the light gray tabby elder as the old tom came to sit by him. "Morning, Ospreytail," the elder, Smokefur, meowed in greeting.

"Morning, Smokefur; you're up early today," the bobtailed warrior said in return before taking a last bite out of his sparrow before pawing the rest over to the elder.

"Thank you," the gray tabby tom meowed as he bent to finish the piece of fresh-kill. "The rain made my bones ache, which kept me up most of the night," he meowed to the other, explaining the reason behind waking up early.

"You should see the medicine cat about that, Smokefur. She'll give you something for pain and something else to help you sleep," Ospreytail told the elder, concern clear in his blue eyes.

"I will, no need to worry about that," Smokefur told the warrior. "You always worry too much about the Clan, you need to worry more about yourself. Ever since you became deputy you have put yourself aside to care for the Clan more then ever, why not pick a she-cat as mate and settle down a bit?"

The elder spoke correctly, Ospreytail had been named deputy more then a season ago and worked himself harder for his Clan, caring little for his personal life. The young warrior also remembered when he started caring more for his Clan than himself, it was after he healed from the wounds Hawkfeather had given him that night.

The deputy stared at the elder with his blue eyes and meowed, "I can't, Smokefur, I have my Clan to think about." He had lied to elder, Ospreytail had thought about it, but found that he could not like any she-cat more than a friend.

The warrior stood up and saw the patrol of four warriors leaving camp to start the dawn patrol. "Think about it some more then," the gray elder told him.

"Goodbye, Smokefur. I'm going out to hunt," Ospreytail said, ending the conversation as he walked out of camp. He had lied again to the elder; he wasn't going to hunt right away, he was going to the lake to see if he could spot Hawkfeather on ShadowClan's dawn patrol. The bobtailed tom could not help but want to see the tabby as much as he could. He had figured it was because of how badly their friendship ended.

When the lake was insight, the black and white tom noticed there was a cat on ShadowClan's lake territory. Ospreytail's heart felt like it went right into his throat, but instead of seeing a tabby, he saw a dark ginger and black bobtailed loner. Blue eyes blinked in confusion as the deputy stared at the loner who appeared very familiar to him, but he could not place where until a breeze blew towards him from the other side of the lake.

A memory awoken within bobtailed warrior from his past, a memory long buried from early kit-hood.

He was out of camp, far from the nursery where he should have been, he was sitting with a kit who he guessed to be his brother. His mother, Sparrow-wing was alongside the two kits with this strange ginger and black bobtailed tom. The WindClan kit could not remember all of what occurred that night, only that the other kit was taken away by the strange tom and two words that had been spoked by Sparrow-wing, "father" and "Solon."

Now seeing the black and ginger tom again, the deputy was curious as to whom this cat was and if he could be his father. Springing to his paws, Ospreytail began running with speed that only WindClan cat could have around the lake to meet this strange tom. Even in the warrior's hast he made sure to be within two fox-lengths of the lake as to not to break the rule of the lake territories.

Ospreytail had lost sight of the loner and by the time the deputy made it around the lake the loner had disappeared. Disappointed, he sat down by the lake, looking around as he tried to pick up the freshest scent of the strange loner, but strangely could not. Frustrated, the deputy pawed the damp soil with white fluffy paws as the lake water teasingly lapped at them.

The deputy of WindClan did not have time to compose himself and head back to WindClan's territory when a body landed on his back from behind. Ospreytail was able to see the coat of his attacker, ginger and brown, before a scent hid him hard; the scent of ShadowClan! ShadowClan's dawn patrol had spotted him and were attacking!


	3. Chapter 2

_Author's Note: And here's chapter two (sorry it's late)! ^^; Like the prologue, this is in Hawkfeather's perspective, and with that we shall see what becomes of poor Ospreytail…

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**Chapter Two**

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"_Gorsepaw!"_

The sharp meow fortunately came from the young cat's mentor, Flamefur, and Hawkfeather felt his dissatisfaction ebb some. At least one cat had decency coursing through his veins.

The dawn patrol had been going smoothly, just fine until he, ShadowClan's deputy, veered them through the pine trees and towards a WindClan scent. It was inexplicable, but also one Hawkfeather knew well. All the same, it was the last scent he had ever expected to find on or near ShadowClan territory.

Distant memories and the anxiety they produced had urged the large tabby tom to move as fast as possible. Unfortunately, before he could even call out to the WindClan cat, one apprentice, drowned in his own idiocy, had decided to spring.

Attacking without inquiry? Or, better yet, attacking without orders? It sickened Hawkfeather to know that ShadowClan might appear so undisciplined in the eyes of a foreign cat, and it hurt him to think that of all cats Ospreytail was the one pounced on.

Not that he could show that, of course.

The brown and ginger apprentice slid off the slender WindClan deputy, ears flat on his head. "I-I'm sorry, Flamefur." He rushed back over to the ShadowClan patrol, but most importantly, his brown, white, and ginger furred mentor. "I didn't… I just thought…"

Hawkfeather flicked the long plume of his tail over Gorsepaw's mouth, silencing the stuttering young tom himself as his amber eyes fixed on Ospreytail, on the small red dots that stood out on the white of the other's pelt.

His words came quietly, "You can receive your lecture later, Gorsepaw. Ospreytail—" He flicked his tail high into the air. "—what do you think you're doing on ShadowClan land?"

The bobtailed WindClan cat stood with dignity, and to Hawkfeather's pleasure, his dawn patrol quickly fanned out to block off any escape routes. Out of eager curiosity as much as discontent, he wanted to hear what had driven Ospreytail to travel so far. What if in some way, for some reason, it had something to do with him? Beneath his regal posture, Hawkfeather's heartbeat quickened. It'd been so long, and so much had changed, but…

"I saw a loner and came to investigate. Smell for yourself; traces of his scent are still in the air," Ospreytail explained simply before pointing out, "And I'm not trespassing, if that's what you think."

True to Ospreytail's word, Hawkfeather could vaguely distinguish the unknown scent of a loner, and he immediately made a mental note. The dawn patrol would have to investigate as soon as possible. At the same time, it was also true that Ospreytail was within two foxlengths of the lakeshore.

Good.

Hawkfeather narrowed his eyes and flicked an ear, the one with a deep chip earned long ago. "As I'm sure you can see, that loner is also no longer here, and trespassing or not, you no longer have a reason for being." He held Ospreytail's bright blue gaze and was struck with a pang of longing, one forcibly brief. "So take your leave before force is required."

Ospreytail gave a solemn nod, and Hawkfeather turned to face a gray she-cat with black paws. "Stand aside, Crowfoot."

The young ShadowClan warrior, blocking along the rocky shore, moved closer to one of her Clanmates, a white and black spotted she-cat, to allow passage.

Hawkfeather expected the bobtailed deputy to flee without another word. However, Ospreytail took a small step forward, towards him. "I hope to meet you again soon, and under more pleasant circumstances, Hawkfeather."

Hawkfeather's fur bristled. How obvious could Ospreytail be? Was the black and white tom trying to mock him? Trying to wave in the face of his fellow warriors their past secret? How monstrous! How evil! How—!

The Gathering. The thought hit Hawkfeather before he could admit he shared Ospreytail's wish, and with it his inner shock faded. With the ShadowClan leader dangerously ill, he would certainly be at the upcoming Gathering to take Stonestar's place. And if Ospreytail were present as well…

Hawkfeather dipped his head, acknowledging Ospreytail's statement. Was he wrong to hope? After all, he had long since settled into normal Clan life, even taken a mate.

Without stirring anything more, the WindClan deputy padded away, and immediately, ShadowClan's own deputy felt his long tabby fur fall flat. His rigid stance relaxed.

"Hawkfeather, what did he mean by that?"

Hawkfeather shifted his attention to Crowfoot, still young enough to speak her thoughts, and easily lied, "StarClan knows." The curious stares of the rest of his dawn patrol disappeared. Throughout the encounter, he must have worn his mask well. The tabby tom turned to leave. "Now, far more importantly, we should see to that lon—"

"Hawkfeather!"

Hawkfeather and the rest of the dawn patrol turned their heads to see a dark tortoiseshell and white she-cat darting towards them.

"What is it, Sweetcloud?"

Almost as soon as Hawkfeather had asked the question, the she-cat stopped in front of them, sides heaving as she managed between pants, "Spottedfrost… the kits… they're coming!"

Hawkfeather's whiskers went stiff as a jolt of excitement coursed throughout his muscled form.

The kits! At last, moons' worth of anticipation was coming to a head and his kits were being born, although a bit sooner than he ever expected. Pride swelled in Hawkfeather's chest and brightened his whole demeanor as he turned to face the white and black spotted she-cat in his patrol. "Frostfern, I trust you to take care of our unwanted visitor."

"Of course, Hawkfeather," Frostfern purred. "Now hurry or Spottedfrost will miss you."

"Right!" Hawkfeather nodded once, then turned and bounded off with Sweetcloud at his heels. Leaving, he could hear Gorsepaw remark to Flamefur, "Do you think me and Tigerpaw will get to play with the new kits soon?"

What an exciting thought! Hawkfeather's long body easily weaved through the trees, and his large paws did well to cross a forest floor blanketed by brown pine needles. Bliss carried him along, and he could already envision miniature tabby cats out in the sunshine, tumbling with one another and being taught a few basics by the apprentices. But of course he would be out there tumbling and teaching as well. It was exactly what he'd promised he'd do... and Ospreytail had borne witness.

For a moment, Hawkfeather was pulled back and Ospreytail's parting words echoed in his ears, but he quickly shook his head to shoo the accompanying thoughts. He regretted nothing, and he didn't doubt himself in hoping to repair what he'd broken. After all, the Warrior Code permitted friendship between cats from different Clans, and about to be a father, he was certainly mature enough to handle that now. Their chance encounter had to be a sign that StarClan approved. Still, he'd have to dwell on that matter later.

Hawkfeather made a long, graceful leap over a fallen tree and landed with a thud, tufted ears perked as he stood at the edge of the ShadowClan camp. Sweetcloud landed at his side with a quieter, daintier sound.

"Follow me," she mewed gently and began padding towards the nursery, a den hidden by brambles and low hanging pine branches.

Hawkfeather followed eagerly, oblivious to the stares of the cats loitering about their camp. His head lowered and he laid his ears flat as he peered into the darkness. The mixed scents of milk and earth hit him instantly, and his amber eyes darted from the shadowed forms within over to Sweetcloud and back.

Aside from Spottedfrost, two others queens were inside with their own kits, and gradually, as his pupils expanded, Hawkfeather could make out how the youngsters curiously hung near Spottedfrost, a white, black, and orange she-cat, as well as ShadowClan's medicine cat.

Hawkfeather inched forward, cautious as he asked, "Brindlestripe, is everything okay?"

The dark brown tom, striped like a tiger, looked up from Spottedfrost. There was a glint in his yellow eyes that suggested humor, like Hawkfeather's anxious tone was unfounded.

Brindlestripe meowed, "All is well." He stepped back and glanced down at the two furry bundles cuddled up to Spottedfrost's then smaller stomach. "You're a little late, Hawkfeather, but I suppose that's understandable."

There was no response to Brindlestripe. Hawkfeather was transfixed by the kits, his kits, and he came ever closer, his mew leaving him without any forethought, "What are their names?"

Spottedfrost purred, and with her black and orange tail, gestured to the larger of the two, the tom with fur like a storm cloud, "This is Stormkit—" She gestured to the white she-kit with brown tabby patches. "—and this is Lark-kit."

As if on cue, Lark-kit began mewling and her brother soon followed, prompting Spottedfrost to soothe them with a tender nuzzle. In his own mind, Hawkfeather had expected a larger litter, and they looked more like himself, but somehow, these two were even better.

"They're beautiful," Sweetcloud whispered Hawkfeather's thought, albeit her voice was strained with what seemed longing.

Quietly, Brindlestripe nudged her out of the nursery, himself following with the parting words, "Let me know if I'm needed further."

"Of course!" Spottedfrost called after him with a surprising amount of energy and cheer for a she-cat that had just given birth.

Hawkfeather let out a rumbling purr. "They're almost as magnificent as their mother."

"Indeed," a ginger tabby queen, the oldest in the nursery, agreed. "Spottedfrost did an excellent job for her first time, let me tell you."

"Oh, Sorrelpelt. Don't flatter me now," Spottedfrost buried her face against Stormkit and wrapped her tail about both the newborns.

Spottedfrost was a good cat, Hawkfeather had decided on that long ago. She was a good warrior, and as he was sure, she would make an excellent mother for his kits as well.

The ShadowClan deputy came to lie beside her and nosed their kits himself, happily listening to the other kits speculate over when they'd be allowed to play with the new arrivals.

He was at peace, but his moment was cut short as he felt a tongue rasp over his ear. Surprised, Hawkfeather lifted his head from his kits to see Spottedfrost looking at him, her eyes full of an emotion he couldn't quite place. She meowed quietly, "I love you."

Hawkfeather felt the black tip of his tail twitch. "I love you, too." He shook his head and stood up, suddenly feeling the desire to leave. "I'll be back later today, all right?"

Spottedfrost blinked at him, and Hawkfeather saw frustration prickle the she-cat's multicolored fur. "Fine." She turned stiffly back to Stormkit and Lark-kit.

"Don't worry, I'll be back soon," Hawkfeather purred, somehow managing to be that much more cheerful as he gave his two kits a few loving licks goodbye.

With that, the ShadowClan deputy backed out of the nursery and shook his long dark pelt, once more free to bask in the sun and glory of fatherhood.

He knew that Spottedfrost wanted more from him, and that she wished they could behave more like actual mates, but Hawkfeather couldn't say he felt particularly romantic towards the she-cat… or any cat, for that matter.

He just knew he wanted kits, like he knew he'd wanted to become deputy. The simple fact that he was now a father was exciting enough to make it easy to overlook the drawbacks of Spottedfrost's dissatisfaction and anything else that could possibly bother him. What was more, he was certain that he would get the chance to be reunited with Ospreytail, the best friend he'd ever had. It was the sweet, sweet success of life!

But even that glorious feeling was relinquished as Hawkfeather scanned the camp and met a look of grave disapproval. The light in Hawkfeather's eyes dimmed.

Just outside the medicine cat den, one also hidden by brambles, a gray longhaired tom sat with Brindlestripe. Although the medicine cat was carrying on intently about something, the gray tom didn't seem to be listening. No, Owlfur was busy giving Hawkfeather a hard stare, and the brown tabby felt it to his core. His delight drained to make room for his worries.

That look meant he'd done something wrong. Was it the kits? Did Owlfur not approve of his kits? What if it was his inability to love Spottedfrost? But those things had been a fact for a while, so why would Owlfur care now of all times?

Slowly, Hawkfeather padded towards the fresh-kill pile.

No, it had to be something else. Something recent. But what was recent? Hawkfeather held Owlfur's glare. What if his brother knew that he'd encountered Ospreytail? What if… what if his brother already knew that he still wanted to see the WindClan cat, that he was pompous enough to plan on it?

Hawkfeather looked down to a full pile of fresh-kill and his shuffling paws. He silently hoped Ospreytail had managed to get home all right.

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_Author's Note: Thanks for reading! 8D And a review to let me know what you think so far would be AWESOME and GREATLY APPRECIATED!_


	4. Chapter 3

_Author's Note: Hullo, you magnificent people that have actually read this much! 8D At last, we're introduced to the magical third perspective of the story, and with her, the main plot.

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**Chapter Three

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_The sunlight, now a good deal_ stronger, shone down on the deciduous forest of ThunderClan's territory and dappled the soft ground as well as the pelts of the cats below. In the distance, a bird cheerfully twittered, but the ThunderClan dawn patrol stood tall and silent, their expressions hardened with aggression as they studied the WindClan cat before them.

Interestingly enough, as Morningbird couldn't help but notice, the white and black bobtailed tom looked more exasperated than nervous at having been stopped halfway back to WindClan.

The head of the dawn patrol, an odd-eyed tom with a long white pelt, gave a slow blink and spoke in the same manner, "Ospreytail, what are you doing here?"

Morningbird tilted her white and brown patched head to get a better look at the WindClan cat. She was still fairly new to being a warrior, and although she'd caught a glimpse of this unusual bobtailed tom once or twice at the Gatherings, she'd never been so close or had him named. So this was Ospreytail, she thought—WindClan's peculiar deputy.

Ospreytail's ears flicked restlessly, but he answered with ease, "I'm on my way back to WindClan, Whitelion. That is, if you'll let me."

"Of course," Whitelion dipped his large head, clearly acknowledging that Ospreytail was in the safe zone between the lake and ThunderClan land.

Ospreytail dipped his head in return, a gesture of thanks, but before he could carry on, one of the patrol's two apprentices snorted.

"What's WindClan's deputy doing out here to begin with? And reeking of ShadowClan, no less. Excuse me for saying, but this whole thing _reeks_ of trouble."

Morningbird's green eyes shifted towards Sootpaw, a cream colored tom with a very dark brown mask, paws, and tail. He was normally a quiet young cat, but Sootpaw never seemed to miss an opportunity to cast shadows on another's image.

Squirrelpaw, a dark blue-gray she-cat, quickly meowed in agreement, "Yeah!" Her skinny tail fluffed up. "What's WindClan up to now?"

Morningbird gave a low hiss, surprised that the two hinted, even if subtly, at WindClan's past folly.

True, the four cats that sought to overthrow the Warrior Code had all been born in WindClan, but that didn't mean the entire Clan should be looked down upon in the present. Things changed, and Ospreytail wasn't even involved in all that. As Morningbird could see, he was simply too young.

"Sootpaw, Squirrelpaw." The apprentices turned to look at Sootpaw's mentor, a gray she-cat with a white paw. The she-cat meowed, her head lowered to Ospreytail, "Excuse them. They're still young and have yet to look past the elders' stories."

Along with Whitelion, Morningbird nodded in agreement, though a white footed black tom put in, "However, an answer to better explain yourself would be best."

"A loner has entered Clan territory," Ospreytail reported flatly. "I was investigating, and I suggest you keep a lookout."

Whitelion flicked his long tail in dismissal, his meow a gracious one, "Thank you for the warning."

"Of course," Ospreytail mewed hastily, a note of relief in his voice, before he began to pad away.

"Where's his tail?" Squirrelpaw piped up, unquestionably loud enough for the parting tom to hear.

"Squirrelpaw, shush." Whitelion rounded on his apprentice, but his volume kept even. "You've been rude. Both you and Sootpaw, and I'm very disappointed."

The she-cat apprentice's ears fell back at her mentor's harsh tone and regret filled her voice, "I… I'm sorry."

"And what about you, Sootpaw?" Sootpaw's gray furred mentor, Graywing, mewed. She gave her own apprentice a nudge with her single white paw.

Although he refused to meet the questioning stares of the other cats, Sootpaw gave in. "Fine. I'm sorry."

Morningbird sighed quietly, pleased that the two young cats had been easily swayed to repent. Cruel as they could be, Sootpaw and Squirrelpaw weren't horrendous. They were just a bit rebellious was all. Of course, with Sootpaw being her kin, Morningbird could only hope as much.

She looked to Whitelion, the senior warrior that had mentored her not too many moons ago, and wondered how he was handling Squirrelpaw's more brazen behavior, a sharp contrast to her own obedience.

"We should head back to camp," the white footed black tom suggested, his tail entwined with Graywing's.

"You're right, Cloudfall," Whitelion agreed, a lighthearted glimmer entering his blue and yellow eyes. "The patrol's done, and I do believe you and Morningbird have earned your morning meal. However, Graywing and I really should take our apprentices out hunting."

Squirrelpaw let out a yowl of protest, but was quickly silenced by a look from her mentor.

"Thank you, Whitelion," Morningbird purred while Cloudfall quickly brushed cheeks with Graywing.

The two warriors, free from apprentices themselves, then turned to head back to camp.

Padding beneath the greenleaf trees and momentarily free from the buzz of conversation, Morningbird could once again hear the avian twitters. They were pleasing, and not just for the consistent rhythms. They also promised her food, and as she envisioned a fat songbird, her stomach gave a loud growl.

"Well, well." Cloudfall let out a mrrow of laughter. "Looks like we're not a moment too soon in leaving, eh?"

"U-Uhm," Morningbird couldn't meet the older warrior's eyes and felt her fur grow hot with embarrassment. Cloudfall was, after all, the father of her very best friend.

"Don't be shy now," the white footed tom purred. "You're a full-fledged warrior, and have grown up well, especially for a cat without parents. No one in ThunderClan can deny you that." Cloudfall gently nudged Morningbird with his muscled shoulder. "So hold your head high!"

The young warrior found herself purring right back as she forced herself to swallow her more bashful feelings. "I guess that's true." She lifted her head, if only slightly.

"That's it!" Cloudfall meowed with excitement, his brown eyes full of warmth.

Morningbird and Cloudfall soon pushed through the thorny entrance into the stone hollow. By then, Morningbird was standing tall, confident, and with a hunger ten times stronger than when she'd first finished patrolling.

Her small pink nose wiggled as she scented the freshkill at the camp's center. Yet, before she could even take one pawstep towards it, she caught sight of a small flash of gray and white fur and was promptly knocked to the ground.

"Mousepaw, you rat! We were supposed to pounce all together!"

As she was bounced on by the tiny she-cat known as Mousepaw, Morningbird managed to look up and see the cat that had yowled. She wasn't much bigger than an apprentice herself and, in color, was pale gray with black tabby markings. She was, to Morningbird, the most recognizable cat of them all.

Morningbird called joyously, "Tinyfoot!"

"Yes, yes, it's me," Tinyfoot purred, her tail curling behind her as a second apprentice peered from around one of her hindlegs, one with a solid silver pelt.

The young she-cat mewed loudly, "It's also Silverpaw!" She turned to tease her sister, "Mousepaw, you ruined it!"

"But… But I didn't mean to!" Mousepaw insisted, lying atop Morningbird's white stomach.

"Ah, silly she-cats," Cloudfall commented, and all attention flew to the forgotten tom. "Some things never change." His tail flicked affectionately at Tinyfoot, his daughter, before he padded off towards the freshkill pile.

Tinyfoot rolled her large brown eyes, and Morningbird, still lying on her back with Mousepaw on top, surveyed the gray stone camp. Immediately, she noticed that their spectacle had drawn the whole Clan's attention. Even Leafstar had poked his white and ginger colored head out of the leader's den to see what all the noise was about.

"Well, thanks for the warm welcome," Morningbird purred. "Mousepaw's definitely getting stronger. Although—" Morningbird fixed the young she-cat with a look jokingly harsh. "—she may want to learn some patience."

"Of course, of course!" Mousepaw exclaimed before jumping off to join Silverpaw next to Tinyfoot.

Morningbird rolled over and stood up, giving her white and brown tabby coat a quick shake. Though, once again, her attention drifted over to the freshkill pile. Only this time she couldn't help but notice that Cloudfall was digging into a particularly plump squirrel. Her tongue rasped over her white jaws.

"I've really got to eat first, but maybe after that we can all play with the kits?"

In the end, that was normally what the four of them did if there weren't any mentors or deputies breathing down their necks.

"Actually, Morningbird," Tinyfoot began, and instantly had her friend's attention. "Redberry asked to see you."

"Redberry?" Morningbird's ears lifted with interest. What did ThunderClan's medicine cat want with her? It wasn't like she was sick or had even been sick, at least not recently.

"She says it's very, very important," Silverpaw put in, nodding her head once to punctuate the words.

Mousepaw gave a small demonstrative hop. "That's why we were going to jump on you! You know, to get your attention!"

"I see…" Morningbird trailed off, her small white paws shuffling as she was torn between going to see Redberry and feeding her rowdy stomach. However, her decision was soon made for her.

"Morningbird!"

All four she-cats turned their heads to face the reddish brown and white tom that stood just outside the medicine cat's den. Without a doubt, it was Falconpaw, the medicine cat apprentice.

"You'd better go," Tinyfoot mewed quietly. "You can catch up with us later."

"Right," Morningbird agreed with cheer, but one of her ears fell lopsided as she considered the possibility of having to deal with Falconpaw's temper.

"Morningbird!" The yowl came louder. "Redberry wants to speak with you right now!"

"I'll be right there, Falconpaw!" Morningbird meowed back, her tail in the air as she rushed over.

Even so, she couldn't help but overhear Tinyfoot reprimand Silverpaw for speaking about a medicine cat apprentice in such a way, whatever that "way" was.

"Glad you could make it." Falconpaw flicked an ear, and with his tail, pulled back the screen of brambles at the den's entrance.

Morningbird was quiet for a moment, shocked by the tom's unexpectedly more pleasant tone. "Oh… of course." Slowly, the white and brown patched she-cat padded into the den.

The various scents of herbs were all around, and she could see the little caches where the plants were kept. However, the moss beds were vacant, and gave the place an empty, lonely sort of feeling. Expectedly, the consistent gray of the stone walls did little to lighten it up.

Falconpaw padded up beside Morningbird, his attention directed to a few black shadows as he explained, "Redberry's over here."

So far from the entrance? From the rest of the Clan? But it wasn't like she had a choice in the matter.

The stone felt cool beneath Morningbird's paws as she followed behind Falconpaw, if not a bit uncertainly. As her eyes adjusted to the change in light, it was tempting to strike up friendly conversation and ask how the young tom was doing. However, before she could figure out how to phrase one such question, they came to a stop in front of a ginger furred she-cat.

"I've brought Morningbird, Redberry," Falconpaw flicked his tail towards Morningbird, and her own tail drooped.

Confined in a stone den with two cats so close to StarClan, she was rapidly becoming less and less sure what to think.

Falconpaw shut his eyes and added as though to highlight his own competence, "Those she-cats you told to bring her were taking too long."

"That's fine." Redberry settled down onto her slender haunches, and her orange eyes, full of an elder's wisdom, never strayed from Morningbird. "You did good, Falconpaw. Now, I want you to make sure no other cat overhears what I'm going to tell our dear Morningbird."

At those words, Morningbird went rigid. What if she had some horrible, potentially epidemic disease and didn't even know it? What if she'd done something terrible to offend StarClan? Bit by bit, the young warrior's head lowered until she'd scrunched up her narrow brown tabby shoulders.

"No cat will get past the brambles," Falconpaw vowed, then turned and padded back towards the den's opening.

Redberry rested her flame colored tail over her forepaws and spoke brightly, "He's a wonderful apprentice, don't you think?"

Morningbird hesitated, wondering what Falconpaw had to do with the situation, then mewed, "Yes, he most certainly is."

The old medicine cat purred, her voice full of warmth, "He'll make a fine medicine cat one day…" For an instant, Redberry seemed to have entered a doze, but abruptly, she snapped open her eyes. "Now, about why you're here…"

So Falconpaw had nothing to do with it? Morningbird leaned forward, her green eyes wide with expectancy as well as an eagerness to rush back outside and eat.

"Morningbird, last night I received a dream from StarClan." Redberry's unblinking orange gaze became severe. "In that dream, I received a prophecy."

"A prophecy?" Morningbird repeated, her ears high as she then hung on Redberry's every word. She'd never been told a prophecy before.

"Yes." The medicine cat nodded, and her tone transformed into one more somber, "Your mother, Lilyleaf, gave it to me. She said, '_With morning, the shadows rise, and for blood, four will choose between two_.'"

The young she-cat warrior stood frozen, a coldness tingling in her paws as she suddenly understood why she'd been called in.

"Morningbird, I'm convinced the prophecy refers to you."

All of a sudden, she wasn't so hungry.

* * *

_Author's Note: Once again, thanks for reading, and as will always be the case, reviews of all kinds are loved! Seriously. Critique is just as great as encouragement, but the two combined are the best thing ever. 8)_


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